Visa operations resume at Indian high commission in Male

Feb 17, 2013, 01.57PM ISTTNN[ Arun Ram ]

The high commission was not issuing visas since Wednesday after Mohamed Nasheed, the former Maldivian president and leader of the Maldivian Democratic Party took refuge here on Wednesday fearing arrest by the Waheed Hassan government.

MALE: After remaining closed for five days following a political turmoil in Maldives and public holidays, the Indian high commission in Male opened for visa operations on Sunday.

The high commission was not issuing visas since Wednesday after Mohamed Nasheed, the former Maldivian president and leader of the Maldivian Democratic Party took refuge here on Wednesday fearing arrest by the Waheed Hassan government in connection with a case of arrest of a chief judge of a criminal court. Long queues were seen in front of the high commission on Sunday, the first working day of the week. Maldives, a Muslim country, has Friday as a public holiday. Offices remain closed on Saturdays, too.

While the visa section continued working on Sunday, Nasheed remained inside the Indian office which is yet to official proclaim him as an asylum seeker. ""He has taken refuge here and we are keeping him,"" is all an Indian diplomat here would say.

Indian high commissioner in Male D M Mulay told TOI that Nasheed was cheerful and was having visitors. After an MEA spokesperson said that India wishes to see presidential candidates of all recognised political parties in Maldives to be allowed to contest, Maldives had on Thursday retorted that India should not "undermine the democratic institutions of Maldives." While Maldivian president Waheed Hassan Manik is yet to speak on the issue, his ministers told TOI that the government would not interfere in the matter as it was between Nasheed and the Maldivian judiciary.

The government had assured that Nasheed would not be "illegally arrested", but MDP leaders feel it would produce an arrest warrant within minutes of Nasheed coming out of the Indian high commission.